Seduced at Midnight

Something that would lead him to identify the killer. Perhaps this latest crime would provide the clue he was looking for.

Winslow returned a moment later. 'His lordship will see you now.' He escorted Gideon to the earl's private study where he was greeted by Julianne's father's frosty gaze.

'Well?' the earl asked. 'Dare I hope this interruption means you've some good news?'

'No. Another murder and robbery has been committed.' He quickly related the story Henry had told him, concluding with, 'There has to be some connection between these crimes.'

'Of course there is,' the earl said. 'They've all been perpetrated upon wealthy members of society. Their jewels stolen, the owners killed so as not to be able to identify the thief.'

Gideon shook his head. 'No, I mean something more. I don't believe these are random crimes. There must be something that links these particular victims…' Pieces of the puzzle shifted in his mind, clicking into place in a pattern he hadn't seen before. Bloody hell, why hadn't he thought of this earlier? He fixed his gaze on the earl's. 'Something that you are somehow connected to.'

'Me?' the earl repeated coldly.

'Yes. All of the victims have been women. Lady Julianne's life was threatened. I think-'

'That all those women are somehow connected?' the earl broke in. He shook his head. 'Impossible. While Julianne might have been acquainted with the ladies who were killed, I assure you she had nothing whatsoever to do with Mrs. Greeley.'

'Lord Jasper's mistress.' Gideon nodded. 'I agree. But I'm not thinking the connection is between the victims, but rather the victim's families.' He nodded toward the earl's pen set. 'May I have a piece of vellum and use your pen?'

The earl nodded his consent, withdrawing the vellum from a drawer and sliding it across the shiny mahogany surface to Gideon. Gideon carefully wrote the victims' names then listed their immediate family members. Lastly he added Julianne's name as an intended victim, with the earl and countess as her family members. When he finished, he handed the list to the earl.

'Please add any family members to the list I'm not aware of. Do you see any connection between the family members, anything at all, no matter how remote it might seem?'

The earl studied the list at length, while Gideon watched him. For several minutes his expression remained completely impassive. Then a frown bunched between his brows.

'You've discovered something?' Gideon asked, leaning forward.

'Perhaps.' He circled some names. When he finished he handed the list to Gideon. 'This is a group of investors who joined together about a year and a half ago for a business venture.'

Gideon perused the names while Gatesbourne continued, 'Besides me, you'll see Lord Daltry-'

'Whose wife died the day after his party,' Gideon broke in. He continued down the list. 'Lord Jasper, whose mistress, Mrs. Greeley, was killed. Lord Ratherstone's wife died, and the latest victim, Viscountess Hart, is Penniwick's sister.' Gideon's instincts tingled with grim excitement when he noted the Duke of Eastling's name. 'The duke's wife also died, a little over a year ago,' he murmured.

The earl seemed startled then nodded. 'That is correct. I'd quite forgotten, although she committed suicide.'

'Tell me, is anyone on this list related to Lords Beechmore or Haverly?'

The earl nodded. 'Ratherstone is Beechmore's uncle. Jasper is Haverly's father.'

Gideon felt as if bells clanged in his head. His gut told him he'd found the link. 'It cannot have escaped your notice that each of your daughter's suitors is either on this list or, in Beechmore's and Haverly's case, closely related to someone on it.'

'Which proves what?' the earl asked.

'Nothing-yet. Except I find it very curious. And coincidental. And I don't believe in coincidences. Tell me, does Lord Walston have any close female relations?'

'A sister and a mother. One of them, or perhaps both of them, is traveling. In Italy, I believe. There are aunts and cousins, of course.'

Gideon ran his finger over the final three names. 'Count Chalon, Mr. Tate, and Mr. Standish. Who are they?'

'Friends of Eastling's.'

'You are acquainted with them?'

'No. They all reside in Cornwall. Eastling's known them for years.'

'Wealthy, are they?'

'Extremely. Which is why they were allowed to invest.'

'Tell me about this investment,' Gideon said.

'It had to do with the development of a fleet of fast ships guaranteed to cut travel time significantly. We were all keen to invest.'

'How did you hear of it?'

'At my club. Actually, we were all there, except the Cornish fellows.'

'Who spoke of it first?'

The earl considered then answered, 'Penniwick approached me about it. At that time, Walston, Eastling, and Jasper were already involved. It seemed an excellent opportunity, and I invested.'

'What was the outcome?'

'Unfortunately, the whole thing went belly up.'

'So you all lost money.'

'Yes.'

'How much?'

'Ten thousand pounds.'

Gideon stared. 'Altogether, or each of you?'

'Each of us.' He shot Gideon a cold stare. 'Investing is a rich man's game, Mayne. None of us put in more than we could afford to lose, and we all understood the risks going in. Sometimes these things go your way, and sometimes they don't.'

Gideon could only inwardly shake his head. He couldn't imagine ever possessing such an enormous sum. Nor, if he did, doing anything to jeopardize it.

'So what is your theory?' the earl asked. 'That someone is targeting us?' He nodded toward the list Gideon held.

'It is certainly a good place to start. I'm going to see what I can find out about the men who live in Cornwall. See if there have been any crimes committed against their families. Did any of the other investors know them?'

'Not that I'm aware of. Only Eastling, who vouched for them.'

Gideon nodded. 'I'm going to warn Lord Walston to be on guard. You should also consider that your wife might be in danger.'

The earl's brows rose. 'Julianne was this madman's target last time.'

'Yes, and he failed.' Thank God. 'He might switch his attention to your wife.'

'Who would do this?' the earl demanded. 'And why?'

'I'm not certain yet. But I intend to find out.'

Before it was too late. But he felt hope now as he hadn't before. Because he not only believed that women connected to the men on the list were being targeted, he strongly suspected one of the men on the list might be the murderer, targeting the others. Given the amount of money involved, it was certainly possible. But why not simply steal the jewels? Why kill the women? What sort of twisted mind was preying on the innocent?